The first five TumbleStone Posts which included music in them are listed in a previous Post. These are the next five, all posted in April 2016.
6) “‘Maralitja’ (Crocodile Man)” – This song is used in this Post in relation to a polished stone that reminded me of the rough tough skin of the crocodile. A song by the Australian group Yothu Yindi, it comes from the Album “Tribal Voice” (1991). Formed in 1986, Yothu Yindi included both aborigine and non-aborigine members, under the leadership of Mandawuy Yunupingu. Their music blends aboriginal styles with modern rock. The group is best known for “Treaty“, written by Australian musician Paul Kelly and Yothu Yindi members. Mandawuy Yunupingu said about its origins: “Bob Hawke visited the Territory. He went to this gathering in Barunga. And this is where he made a statement that there shall be a treaty between black and white Australia. Sitting around the camp fire, trying to work out a chord to the guitar, and around that camp fire, I said, ‘Well, I heard it on the radio. And I saw it on the television.’ That should be a catchphrase. And that’s where ‘Treaty’ was born.”
7) “Day in a Boat: The other world was here…” – Runrig‘s song comes from its 1995 Album “Mara”. This folk-rock band was formed in the early 1970s in the Scottish Islands and they have maintained key parts of their Island identity – the frequent use of the Gaelic language and an awareness of the region’s historical, political and environmental issues. “Run-rig” was a set of narrow strips that were part of the traditional semi-communal farming system of the Highlands and Islands.
8) “I’ll put a pebble in my shoe…” – “By My Side” is a song from “Godspell”, the 1973 movie based on a stage show. “Godspell” is structured as a series of parables, primarily based on the Gospel of Matthew. This is the only song I know of at this time that actually refers to a “pebble”. The pebble is itself a parable, of a reminder for the dare to walk along the path of faith.
9) “Scatterlings of Africa” – Juluka was a multi-racial South African group formed in 1969 by Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu. It blended Zulu musical styles with rock music. Clegg had learned Zulu dancing when young and often performed it on stage, and became known as the “White Zulu”. He also trained as an anthropologist and wrote several academic papers on Zulu music and dance. Juluka was naturally very unpopular with the government of Apartheid South Africa. When it disbanded in 1985, Clegg went on to form Savuka a year later. “Scatterlings of Africa” was on Juluka’s 1982 Album “Scatterlings” and was re-recorded to more international success by Savuka in 1987 in their Album “Third World Child”. Clegg wrote a tribute to Nelson Mandela, the song “Asimbonanga” (meaning “We have never seen him”). In a concert in Frankfurt in 1999, Mandela surprised Clegg on stage with a visit. Suffering pancreatic cancer, Clegg performed his last scheduled tour concert in October 2018.
10) “The song that is deep in the soul of all people…” – This is another Runrig song, this time from their 1993 Album “Amazing Things”. See #7 above for brief comments on Runrig.
The next ten musical pieces used in TumbleStone Posts can be found here.
